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Roses are red

White, yellow and pink

Do I own Bones?

What do you think?

She needed to talk to Seely Booth.

He had said he loved her. She needed to tell him that she loved him too. But not in love with him. She loved him like he loved her. As a friend. She felt the need to tell him that, and maybe that she wasn't totally resentful of his over protectiveness, even if it was annoying.

She drove up to his house and took a big sigh. This shouldn't be this hard! He was her friend and she loved him. How does one put that in words?

"You're my friend and I love you? I love you for being my friend? I love you in a friendly way? I love you, but not like thatjust as a friend?"

She decided to wing it.

She knocked at the door, just as her phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Where are you?"

She looked at the door like she could see him through it, "At your door."

"But I'm at your door."

Cowinkidink, as Angela would say.

"Meet me at the diner. I need to talk to you."

"I want to talk to you, too," she stopped herself one decibel short of sounding like a teenage girl talking to her boyfriend.

She hung up, jumped in her car and drove off to see her boyfriend-um, partner.

……………………………………..

She got there before him and sat down to wait. What did he need to tell her? Could it wait until she got this off her chest? She ordered a glass of lemon iced tea and drummed her fingers on the table in anticipation. Then she saw him come in. 'Yay!' said her heart as he strode up to her. She saw the frown lines on his face as he came closer, and her heart said, 'Darn…'

"What in blazes is this?" he said so loud the whole restaurant turned to see when he unfolded the poster. He stood over her as she studied her own image on the paper.

They had used the picture of her on the beach, her hair a little bit wet from the sea. She was in a purple and silver striped shorts bikini, a matching necklace and a smile. She was lying on her back in the sand, droplets of water and sand on her skin. The scenery in the background of the blue sky and sea and a tiny island out at sea was beautiful. Actually, it was the least alluring picture of her that Phillip had taken.

"It's me on a beach, Booth. Honestly I can't stand your overprotectiveness at times."

She made to turn the poster over, and immediately regretted it. There was another poster on the other side.

"Wait, hang on. What's this?"

On the other side was the picture she had taken in a crisp white shirt, black vest, Fedora hat tilted to one side over a low bun, a pair of teeny tiny black Spankies, special stockings with a rose pattern running on the sides and really high really uncomfortable shoes. She was straddling a chair.

"What in the name of St, Peter is this?!"

Oh no. Brennan closed her eyes. He was way past overreacting now. He was downright crazy.

"It's a poster, Booth. I didn't realize that…"

"That as we speak little horny teenage boys are pasting this poster over their bed heads?"

Now what was that supposed to mean? There was nothing wrong with the poster. As posters went, it was quite tame. At least her bust wasn't hanging out and she wasn't in some suggestive pose. He should have been happy; she could have done much more suggestive poses than this!

"Why are you so angry Booth?" she asked him outright. He was acting like he was the father of one of those horny teenage boys…

…Or he was one of those horny teenage boys.

She dismissed the thought. "Answer me Booth."

He looked at her, blank, "Are you serious? Aren't you the least bit concerned that your image is now going to conjure up thoughts of…"

"Go on," she urged.

"This is sick, Bones! You're an anthropologist!"

"There was a paleontologist on the poster last month." She stated the fact.

"He rolled his eyes in impatience, "I know that! I don't care! She's not you!"

Her eyes narrowed, "So it's me on the poster that you have a problem with?'

"Yes!"

"Why?'

"Because I'm the one who has to see you every day! I'm gonna to see you, and I'm going to remember…"

She never thought she would say it, even in her own mind, but she realized this may be a job for Dr. Sweets.

"I don't follow," she said.

"Never mind, Bones. Just…never mind"

He turned and stalked out of the diner. Then he turned back and grabbed up the poster.

"Give me that," he said, turning to leave again.

……………………………………………..

"So, he just walked away?"

She was relating the story to Angela the next day. Through the whole thing her mouth was open.

"Yes. It was as if he had something weighing heavily on his mind. I don't know what it could possibly be."

Angela giggled, "I think I know."

Before she could ask her best friend what she thought that was, she was interrupted by the ringing of the phone.

"Hello," she answered.

"Hey, princess."

"Phillip," she saw Angela heading towards the door wand waved to her to stop.

"Dahlia wants to confirm the guest list for Saturday. You still in?"

She smiled, "Absolutely. I'm coming."

"Great. Is that jealous partner of yours anywhere around?"

"No, he isn't. Phillip, I want to apologize. He is sometimes…"

"Oh, it's okay. It's understandable. I'd get jealous too if I were in his position."

Brennan's eyebrows scrunched together, "What position?"

"Never mind. Hey, I should tell you, my cousin, Seamus, is coming in from Ireland. He's coming to the dinner too. So, you know, fix yourself up pretty for him."

Brennan laughed, "I will."

"See you."

"Bye Phillip."

"What was that about?" Angela asked her.

"Phillip was just telling me that his cousin was coming to the dinner on Saturday. Seamus. He's from Ireland."

"Oooooh, Ireland," said Angela, "So do you have something cute to wear to the dinner?"

"Well…I'm not sure."

"What! We are going shopping now, Missy. You got to wear something really cute. What if this Seamus guy is hot?"

"Wait Angela, you don't understand…"

"I don't wanna hear it! We are going shopping."

She pulled her best friend through the door.

Hodgins and Zach were taking advantage of the leisurely span of time between cases by trying to race water beetles, which was not as easy as racing their regular beetles. Their noses were pressed up against the aquarium as they watched the bugs zoom around in the water.

"What are you two doing?"

Booth sounded so much like Cam that the two of them stood at attention at the sound of his voice.

"Whoa man, don't scare us like that," said Jack, letting out the breath he was holding. He looked back into the tank and saw his beetle swimming in a relatively straight line.

"Hey! I'm winning!"

"Where's Bones?' Booth asked.

"Oh, she just took off with Angie. They're gonna but something for her to wear to some dinner Saturday night," Jack watched the progress of his beetle as he spoke, "She has to impress this guy named Seamus."

"Seamus?" Booth didn't hear her say anything about any Seamus!

"Some Irish guy. That's all Angie told me."

"I wonder what she's trying on…" said Zach, barely loud enough for Jack and Booth to hear.

"Me too," said Hodgins,

Zach looked at him, "I'm not talking about Angela."

Jack smiled cheekily, "Neither am I dude."

"I'm going to be so glad when this is all over," said Booth, "Do you know where she went?"

"Nope," Hodgins answered, "They took off so quick, I didn't get a chance to find out."

"You're having curious fantasies about Dr. Brennan too?" Zach asked.

"Ever since yesterday. Those pictures, man," Jack answered.

"Can you two stop talking about my partner like that?" said Booth, who had very recently been picturing himself on a beach with his partner, "It's just not right."

"You must have a very strong will, Booth," said Zach, "For those pictures not to affect or arouse you in any way. I tried, but all I can think is…"

"Thighs," said Jack.

"Among other places," Zach blushed.

"I'm leaving!" said Booth, who was blushing too, "You two are a pair of sick, twisted, perverted nuts!"

He exited the Medico-Legal lab, contemplating his partner's thighs in a way that Zach and Jack didn't see them.

In a pair of rose-pattered stockings.

………………………………………………………………………

It was Saturday night. All day three things ran through Booth's mind.

Bones in suggestive clothing.

Bones in the arms of some guy with a thick accent named Seamus.

Shooting Seamus.

Now he was making himself a tuna sandwich. He had already cut it into halves. And quarters. And eights. And sixteenths.

Now a perfectly good sandwich was thirty good finger sandwiches.

He growled. It was Seamus' fault that his dinner was ruined while he was probably eating a four course meal and putting his hands all over Booth's partner.

The doorbell rang and he almost shouted that he wasn't here before he realized that was dumb.

He went to the door, swung it open and took in an eyeful of his partner.

She was in a black shirtdress, unbuttoned to reveal a red camisole underneath. A little red belt cinched in her waist. The shoes she was in reminded him of the ones on the poster he still had in his drawer upstairs. He stared at them for a moment.

"Booth?"

"Hmm?"

"May I come in?"

He stepped aside so she could come in. he tore his eyes away from the little tick of her waist as she walked across his living room.

"Why are you here, Bones?" he asked, "Aren't you supposed to be at Phillip's house?"

"He said I could invite somebody."

"So…? Oh."

"Do you want to come to the dinner with me, Booth?"

The image of him sitting at the table, pushing his peas around his plate while Seamus told tales of Ireland and Bones hung to his every word were not what he planned for the evening.

"I thought that Phillip wanted to introduce you to his cousin Seamus," he realized how jealous and stupid that sounded only after it came out.

"Oh, please Booth, how much do you think I would have in common with a Catholic priest?"

"Phillip must think you two have a lot in…wait. Did you say Catholic priest?"

"Yes, Booth. You're just like Angela. She presumed that Phillip was setting me up with his cousin as well."

Booth felt like a heavy weight was suddenly lifted off of him. He breathed deep and let it out. Seamus was a priest. No chance in hell with Bones. Yippee! his heart said.

"so will you come to the dinner with me?" she asked again.

"Sure Bones! What are friends for? Lemme go change." He almost skipped to his room with happiness.

"Wait."

The word was laden with emotion. He could tell she had something important to tell him.

He turned. "What's up?"

She walked over to him, put her arms around his middle and hugged him tight.

"I heard you tell Phillip that you love me…"

"What?" he breathed. Oh no. he hadn't meant it like that. Of course he loved Bones, but only-

"As a friend."

"Oh." He sighed in relief, "I said that."

"And I just want to tell you that I love you in the same way…as a friend."

His heart rate quickened at her confession. So he wasn't the only one. She loved him too. Just as friends. Well, that one was obvious. It wasn't like he had deep underlying feelings for her that he was trying to avoid. He put his arms around her and took a deep breath, smelling her shampoo.

"So it's clear. I love you and you love me. As friends."

"Nothing else. And there is nothing wrong with that! Is there?" she asked.

"Not a damn thing."

He held her a little while longer. It felt good, just to hold her and not say anything.

"Booth?'

"Hmm?"

"I love you."

"I love you too, Bones."

"Are you still coming to the dinner? There's gonna be roast chicken."

He laughed, "Aren't you vegetarian?"

"But you aren't."

He let her go and walked toward his room, "Sometimes I think you're living out your carnivore side vicariously through me."

He got ready and jumped in her car. And the two of them took off to Phillip's house, glad they got half of their feelings off their chest.

………………………………………………….

For all who are wondering (small minority) why I chose the name Seamus, it's because Seamus Finnegan is one of my favourite non-main characters in Harry Potter. And also the Irish are cool. I met a few during Cricket World Cup last year.

Was that as good for you as it was for me?

Well, if it isn't, I'm sorry, because this is definitely the end. Finish. Finito. El fin.

Thanks for sticking with the story! And reviewing!